The Story of England by Robert Manning of Brunne, A.D. 1338. Edited from mss. at Lambeth Palace and the Inner Temple, by Frederick J. Furnivall |
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Australes semper dominabant Boriales. |
 | The Story of England |  |
Australes semper dominabant Boriales.
To haue leue of Cadwalyn.
‘Conseil,’ seid Cadwalyn, ‘he schuld take;
‘Als conseil gaf, so schulde men make;
“But y schal wite what ys to done,
“& þou schalt haue answere right sone.”
‘Conseil,’ seid Cadwalyn, ‘he schuld take;
‘Als conseil gaf, so schulde men make;
“But y schal wite what ys to done,
“& þou schalt haue answere right sone.”
Afterward, no þrowe ne was,
Þei mette atte water of Douglas,
To conseille þem, & to wyte
How þat þyng best mighte site.
Bytwyxt þem was þe water, y wene,
& messegers ȝede ay by-twene.
Manie skiles forþ were cast,
How hit mighte be mad studefast.
As Cadwalyn of his hors doun lyght,
An heuinesse, a gret vnmight,
On Cadwalyn gan to lepe,
Þat nede most he þer right slepe,
Brian kept hym als he lay,
Hys cosyn, þat was in gret affray
Of ‘þat þat Edwyn hadde bysought,
‘Þat neuere or byfore was wrought,
‘& now wil graunte swyche a foly,
‘To lowe his stat þat or was hey.’
& als he his lord kept,
Ouer hys heued ful sore he wept,
Þat wyþ þo teres þat he let,
Made he þe kynges hed al wet.
ffor sorewe & sobbynge, Brian quoke,
So þat his lorde þer-wyþ a-woke,
& he byheld Bryan fast.
Þe kyng had wonder, & was agast:
“Brian,” he seide, “what tydinge now?
“What eilest þe? why gretes þow?”
Þei mette atte water of Douglas,
To conseille þem, & to wyte
How þat þyng best mighte site.
540
& messegers ȝede ay by-twene.
Manie skiles forþ were cast,
How hit mighte be mad studefast.
As Cadwalyn of his hors doun lyght,
An heuinesse, a gret vnmight,
On Cadwalyn gan to lepe,
Þat nede most he þer right slepe,
Brian kept hym als he lay,
Hys cosyn, þat was in gret affray
Of ‘þat þat Edwyn hadde bysought,
‘Þat neuere or byfore was wrought,
‘& now wil graunte swyche a foly,
‘To lowe his stat þat or was hey.’
& als he his lord kept,
Ouer hys heued ful sore he wept,
Þat wyþ þo teres þat he let,
Made he þe kynges hed al wet.
ffor sorewe & sobbynge, Brian quoke,
So þat his lorde þer-wyþ a-woke,
& he byheld Bryan fast.
Þe kyng had wonder, & was agast:
“Brian,” he seide, “what tydinge now?
“What eilest þe? why gretes þow?”
“No wonder,” seyd Bryan, “þaw y grete,
“ȝe ar in wyl ȝour worschip to lete.
“In no kynges tyme here byforn
“Was þe croune so mykel or lorn
“Als hit ys now in point to be;
“How hit schal turne, wel y hit se.
“Of oure auncestres, ilka Bretoun
“Byfore alle oþere bere þey þe croun;
“& now y drede hit schal nought so;
“Þat or was on, now schal be two.
“Þe hole coroune þat or had on,
“ȝyf hit be two, y telle hit gon.
“Þyse Englische sc[h]ul haue so gret pride,
“Þat wo schal waxe on ilka syde;
“ffor þer kynde so ryst on heyghte,
“Þat non of oures dar wyþ þem feighte;
“Syn Malgo tyme was no kyng
“Þat myghte of hem wynne any þynge;
“& now ys Edwyn so wel wyþ þe,
“Coroune to bere, þer non schuld be.
“& y se ȝe þenke nought
“What þey til oure kynde han wrought:
“Þey slowe þe kyng Aurelius,
“& so þey þenke þat þey schul vs;
“And certeinly ful wel þey may,
“ffor Bretons power gos faste away;
“Syn Arthur deyde here byforn,
“Þe scheld of Bretayne has ben lorn.”
“ȝe ar in wyl ȝour worschip to lete.
“In no kynges tyme here byforn
“Was þe croune so mykel or lorn
“Als hit ys now in point to be;
“How hit schal turne, wel y hit se.
“Of oure auncestres, ilka Bretoun
541
“& now y drede hit schal nought so;
“Þat or was on, now schal be two.
“Þe hole coroune þat or had on,
“ȝyf hit be two, y telle hit gon.
“Þyse Englische sc[h]ul haue so gret pride,
“Þat wo schal waxe on ilka syde;
“ffor þer kynde so ryst on heyghte,
“Þat non of oures dar wyþ þem feighte;
“Syn Malgo tyme was no kyng
“Þat myghte of hem wynne any þynge;
“& now ys Edwyn so wel wyþ þe,
“Coroune to bere, þer non schuld be.
“& y se ȝe þenke nought
“What þey til oure kynde han wrought:
“Þey slowe þe kyng Aurelius,
“& so þey þenke þat þey schul vs;
“And certeinly ful wel þey may,
“ffor Bretons power gos faste away;
“Syn Arthur deyde here byforn,
“Þe scheld of Bretayne has ben lorn.”
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